I have a yellow lab and I know labs are known to have hip and joint issues. She is only about 2 and half now, but sometimes it looks like it takes a lot of effort to get up. She is a pretty active dog. I was just wondering if it would be ok to give her the senior dog food because it says it helps joints. Does anyone know if you can do that or have you tried it?? Thanks.
2007-02-19 00:33:36 · 9 answers · asked by camper 1 in Pets ➔ Dogs
It's not that she is having problems, after she has been sleeping for a while she gets up slow. Not all the time.
2007-02-19 00:41:50 · update #1
If it has problems getting up, then she should deffinitly go to see a vet. As of the dog food, you can feed her it senior food, but will lack alot of the nutrients that help her to grow up. Senior dog food is based on basically nutrients to help it with the type of "problem." You should ask your vet for a "young pup" food that will help joints if you think that it has that a problem. I am currently using senior food for a 11 month Corgi pup, but I am about to switch because a asked my vet about hip dysplasya and he said to just switch to a "young pup" diet for hip dys. But you should deffinitly consult your vet about that.
Labs live long so ............
I hope you have a healthy and happy life with your pup.
2007-02-19 01:20:46 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I would not feed senior food. if i thought the dog had hip problems i would feed a glucosamine supplement. i would also check with my vet as labs are known to have hip displaysia and if this is the case i'd want to know asap and make sure the dog was on a diet. a dog that is active and is having problems getting up at only 2-3 yrs old has a big problem and i would be seeing my vet about it!
2007-02-19 03:35:56 · answer #2 · answered by SC 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Run this one by your vet, by phone, if necessary. You can get glucosamine or other supplements to help her joints so if the vet feels another food is better for her, you won't lose the benefits of the glucosamine (make sure the vet tells you how much to give her!) Another advantage to senior food is that it won't pack on the extra pounds that richer formulas would... so the vet will consider that with you too. Have you had her x-rayed to see what shape her hips are in? The earlier you know what you're up against the better, since surgery can be in the cards and you will really want to know how long you've got before it's necessary.
2007-02-19 00:58:00 · answer #3 · answered by jussamagin2 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You may want to try a glucosamine supplement. And get her checked for hip dysplasia. I would not feed senior dog food to a dog under the age of 6.
2007-02-22 21:30:56 · answer #4 · answered by jen 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Senior dog food isn't the answer. There are many high quality dog foods out there that have ingredients for joint health that aren't senior dog foods. If you think your dog is having a problem, get it checked out by a vet and consider buying a higher quality food with glucosamine and chondroitin in it (Canidae, Innova, Wellness).
2007-02-19 00:42:52 · answer #5 · answered by Meggz21 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Definitely make an appointment with your vet to have her hips checked. Senior food is just that, for Senior dogs. Talk to your vet about chaning her food to one that has more glucosamine for her hips and joints. There are also vitamins that you can give her that are formulated for hips and joints. They can be found at any Petsmart.
2007-02-19 00:54:09 · answer #6 · answered by bluemysti 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
If your dog is having issues getting up, you need to get her to a vet. Most vets will perform radiographs to clear the hips of any dysplasia problems. Your dog is around the age to do this (3 yrs).
Senior food is a reduced calorie diet. It could lack the nutrients that your young dog needs. I would recommend speaking to your vet about which food to use.
2007-02-19 00:40:20 · answer #7 · answered by Pet Owner 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Have you had her hips checked by a vet? If she's having problems getting up at that age, she could very well be showing signs of dysplasia.
2007-02-19 00:38:21 · answer #8 · answered by Yo LO! 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Have her checked for hip dysplacia!! also make sure she isn't over weight-a chronic problem with most pet labs!!
2007-02-19 01:06:48 · answer #9 · answered by Shiv 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋